On November 6 1999, Australian electors voted in a constitutional referendum on whether Australia should become a republic and whether to insert a preamble to the Constitution.

The following two questions were put to the vote on two seperate ballot papers:

A Proposed Law

To alter the Constitution to establish the Commonwealth of Australia as a republic with the Queen and Governor-General being replaced by a President appointed by a two-thirds majority of the members of the Commonwealth Parliament.

A Proposed Law

To alter the Constitution to insert a preamble.

For a referendum to produce constitutional change there must be a double majority. This means that a majority of Australian voters and a majority of voters in a majority of the States must agree to the changes.

The votes of people living in any of Australia's internal or external Territories only count towards the national majority.

Neither a majority of Australian voters or a majority of voters in a majority of States accepted the proposed changes for either question put at the 1999 referendum. Therefore neither referendum question was carried.

Votes Cast
Type	%
ordinary votes	83.82
absent votes	7.09
provisional votes	0.55
pre-poll votes	5.38
postal votes	3.16

Key Dates

Official Announcement: 12 August 1999

Joint media release issued by the Attorney General and the Special Minister of State.

Issue of Writ: Friday 1 October 1999

The issue of the Writ triggered the referendum process. A Writ is a document directing that a referendum be held and contains dates for the close of rolls, polling day (which must be a Saturday) and the return of the Writ.

Close of rolls: Friday 8 October 1999

Electors had until 8pm, seven days after the Writ was issued, to enrol or to update their details on the Commonwealth electoral roll.

Polling day: Saturday 6 November 1999

The day on which the majority of electors cast their vote by attending at a polling place. It must be not less than 33 days and not more than 58 days after the issue of the Writ and on a Saturday.

Return of the Writ: Tuesday 30 November

The Writs, with the results of the referendum, were returned to the Governor- General on this date.

State results - Republic question

State	Yes Votes	%	No Votes	%	Formal Votes	%	Informal Votes	%	Total Votes	%
NSW	1817380	46.43	2096562	53.57	3913942	99.12	34772	0.88	3948714	95.25
VIC	1489536	49.84	1499138	50.16	2988674	99.07	28063	0.93	3016737	95.35
QLD	784060	37.44	1309992	62.56	2094052	99.31	14642	0.69	2108694	94.74
WA	458306	41.48	646520	58.52	1104826	99.15	9500	0.85	1114326	94.73
SA	425869	43.57	551575	56.43	977444	99.09	8950	0.91	986394	96.00
TAS	126271	40.37	186513	59.63	3 12784	99.09	2857	0.91	315641	96.31
ACT	127211	63.27	73850	36.73	201061	99.23	1553	0.77	202614	95.31
NT	44391	48.77	46637	51.23	91028	99.07	852	0.93	91880	84.96
AUS	5273024	45.13	6410787	54.87	11683811	99.14	101189	0.86	11785000	95.13

State results - Preamble question

State	Yes Votes	%	No Votes	%	Formal Votes	%	Informal Votes	%	Total Votes	%
NSW	1647378	42.14	2261960	57.86	3909338	99.01	39144	0.99	3948482	95.24
VIC	1268044	42.46	1718331	57.54	2986375	98.99	30341	1.01	3016716	95.35
QLD	686644	32.81	1405841	67.19	2092485	99.23	16174	0.77	2108659	94.74
WA	383477	34.73	720542	65.27	1104019	99.06	10436	0.94	1114455	94.74
SA	371965	38.10	604245	61.90	976210	98.95	10325	1.05	986535	96.01
TAS	111415	35.67	200906	64.33	312321	98.94	3343	1.06	315664	96.32
ACT	87629	43.61	113293	56.39	200922	99.16	1696	0.84	202618	95.31
NT	35011	38.52	55880	61.48	90891	98.90	1015	1.10	91906	84.98
AUS	4591563	39.34	7080998	60.66	11672561	99.05	112474	0.95	11785035	95.13

Divisional results : Republic question

New South Wales

State	Yes Votes	%	No Votes	%	Formal Votes	%	Informal Votes	%	Total Votes	%
Banks	34719	45.76	41156	54.24	75875	99.06	717	0.94	76592	95.44
Barton	40691	51.76	37930	48.24	78621	98.88	887	1.12	79508	94.83
Bennelong	43950	54.62	36508	45.38	80458	99.22	629	0.78	81087	95.52
Berowra	42850	51.72	39993	48.28	82843	99.34	551	0.66	83394	95.47
Blaxland	37013	48.99	38545	51.01	75558	98.31	1299	1.69	76857	94.65
Bradfield	43000	55.61	34331	44.39	77331	99.44	439	0.56	77770	95.18
Calare	27938	36.89	47788	63.11	75726	99.21	606	0.79	76332	96.52
Charlton	36720	43.70	47308	56.30	84028	99.13	739	0.87	84767	96.51
Chifley	33230	42.15	45601	57.85	78831	98.83	935	1.17	79766	95.13
Cook	36420	47.13	40862	52.87	77282	99.31	535	0.69	77817	95.60
Cowper	30100	39.39	46319	60.61	76419	99.32	523	0.68	76942	95.35
Cunningham	39450	53.63	34110	46.37	73560	99.11	661	0.89	74221	95.44
Dobell	34680	42.54	46839	57.46	81519	99.23	632	0.77	82151	95.41
Eden-Monaro	34967	46.13	40841	53.87	75808	99.18	626	0.82	76434	95.42
Farrer	24008	33.89	46823	66.11	70831	99.24	539	0.76	71370	95.31
Fowler	44576	51.89	41334	48.11	85910	98.52	1287	1.48	87197	93.91
Gilmore	32970	42.49	44626	57.51	77596	99.37	491	0.63	78087	95.86
Grayndler	51774	64.77	28155	35.23	79929	98.80	974	1.20	80903	93.44
Greenway	37660	45.02	45996	54.98	83656	98.79	1022	1.21	84678	95.56
Gwydir	19274	27.79	50081	72.21	69355	99.40	418	0.60	69773	94.75
Hughes	42049	49.16	43493	50.84	85542	99.23	663	0.77	86205	96.18
Hume	25258	34.90	47122	65.10	72380	99.30	510	0.70	72890	96.07
Hunter	27391	36.81	47014	63.19	74405	99.31	516	0.69	74921	96.50
Kingsford-Smith	41655	55.19	33814	44.81	75469	99.03	741	0.97	76210	94.33
Lindsay	33623	41.10	48180	58.90	81803	99.08	761	0.92	82564	96.03
Lowe	44551	56.59	34176	43.41	78727	99.02	780	0.98	79507	94.59
Lyne	31045	38.41	49785	61.59	80830	99.37	515	0.63	81345	96.32
Macarthur	36694	40.20	54593	59.80	91287	99.13	805	0.87	92092	95.73
Mackellar	38831	49.43	39730	50.57	78561	99.25	592	0.75	79153	94.88
Macquarie	35038	44.07	44474	55.93	79512	99.25	597	0.75	80109	95.67
Mitchell	38573	46.89	43684	53.11	82257	99.31	571	0.69	82828	96.14
New England	23328	32.61	48203	67.39	71531	99.35	469	0.65	72000	95.62
Newcastle	37797	51.02	36292	48.98	74089	99.21	588	0.79	74677	95.27
North Sydney	51482	61.28	32527	38.72	84009	99.33	567	0.67	84576	94.85
Page	29925	38.79	47213	61.21	77138	99.25	586	0.75	77724	95.86
Parkes	22592	30.47	51549	69.53	74141	99.24	567	0.76	74708	95.05
Parramatta	36405	48.35	38893	51.65	75298	99.14	655	0.86	75953	94.91
Paterson	32129	39.67	48859	60.33	80988	99.28	584	0.72	81572	96.89
Prospect	37060	49.81	37348	50.19	74408	98.65	1019	1.35	75427	95.33
Reid	37802	48.99	39364	51.01	77166	98.51	1169	1.49	78335	94.13
Richmond	39208	46.13	45790	53.87	84998	99.15	728	0.85	85726	94.76
Riverina	25701	33.50	51017	66.50	76718	99.23	599	0.77	77317	95.91
Robertson	34533	43.98	43991	56.02	78524	99.24	602	0.76	79126	95.77
Shortland	34975	45.42	42024	54.58	76999	99.27	567	0.73	77566	96.33
Sydney	56921	67.85	26973	32.15	83894	99.11	752	0.89	84646	92.23
Throsby	35830	46.93	40525	53.07	76355	99.01	767	0.99	77122	96.00
Warringah	40956	54.49	34208	45.51	75164	99.31	524	0.69	75688	94.43
Watson	41253	54.39	34599	45.61	75852	98.71	990	1.29	76842	93.93
Wentworth	46013	60.19	30435	39.81	76448	99.19	624	0.81	77072	93.40
Werriwa	32772	41.85	45541	58.15	78313	98.92	854	1.08	79167	94.54
State Total	1817380	46.43	2096562	53.57	3913942	99.12	34772	0.88	3948714	95.25

Victoria

State	Yes Votes	%	No Votes	%	Formal Votes	%	Informal Votes	%	Total Votes	%
Aston	43210	51.55	40612	48.45	83822	99.12	745	0.88	84567	96.26
Ballarat	32784	40.91	47345	59.09	80129	99.21	642	0.79	80771	96.33
Batman	50809	61.25	32142	38.75	82951	98.67	1114	1.33	84065	94.16
Bendigo	31333	38.22	50642	61.78	81975	99.28	595	0.72	82570	96.43
Bruce	44229	54.47	36966	45.53	81195	98.99	828	1.01	82023	95.11
Burke	35800	44.93	43885	55.07	79685	99.05	761	0.95	80446	95.71
Calwell	46643	53.88	39918	46.12	86561	98.80	1048	1.20	87609	94.77
Casey	35778	45.45	42937	54.55	78715	99.11	707	0.89	79422	95.94
Chisholm	46815	57.26	34937	42.74	81752	99.15	704	0.85	82456	95.58
Corangamite	35704	45.20	43280	54.80	78984	99.28	569	0.72	79553	96.47
Corio	35762	44.53	44554	55.47	80316	98.98	828	1.02	81144	96.18
Deakin	42565	52.87	37937	47.13	80502	99.17	675	0.83	81177	95.77
Dunkley	36098	45.33	43533	54.67	79631	99.18	657	0.82	80288	95.54
Flinders	34465	41.91	47779	58.09	82244	99.11	737	0.89	82981	96.06
Gellibrand	44972	56.90	34069	43.10	79041	98.70	1045	1.30	80086	93.60
Gippsland	27335	34.85	51092	65.15	78427	99.29	563	0.71	78990	95.81
Goldstein	48951	58.01	35439	41.99	84390	99.29	600	0.71	84990	94.62
Higgins	51813	63.66	29574	36.34	81387	99.19	666	0.81	82053	93.89
Holt	38884	48.71	40947	51.29	79831	98.78	982	1.22	80813	95.38
Hotham	45489	54.20	38445	45.80	83934	98.93	910	1.07	84844	94.85
Indi	29451	36.87	50433	63.13	79884	99.28	580	0.72	80464	95.58
Isaacs	35959	46.71	41031	53.29	76990	99.05	738	0.95	77728	95.57
Jagajaga	47419	56.79	36083	43.21	83502	99.19	685	0.81	84187	95.72
Kooyong	52335	64.24	29137	35.76	81472	99.24	628	0.76	82100	94.90
La Trobe	38116	48.41	40614	51.59	78730	99.11	703	0.89	79433	95.48
Lalor	39127	48.73	41167	51.27	80294	98.86	929	1.14	81223	96.02
Mallee	22395	28.78	55426	71.22	77821	99.26	577	0.74	78398	96.10
Maribyrnong	44633	56.77	33992	43.23	78625	98.67	1057	1.33	79682	95.14
McEwen	35957	44.52	44811	55.48	80768	99.15	689	0.85	81457	96.00
McMillan	29046	36.37	50807	63.63	79853	99.27	591	0.73	80444	96.35
Melbourne	59994	70.92	24604	29.08	84598	98.93	919	1.07	85517	92.02
MelbournePorts	51520	65.90	26663	34.10	78183	99.04	756	0.96	78939	92.25
Menzies	47410	59.85	31801	40.15	79211	99.18	653	0.82	79864	95.72
Murray	24675	30.48	56271	69.52	80946	99.26	603	0.74	81549	96.46
Scullin	45930	56.32	35619	43.68	81549	98.79	1002	1.21	82551	95.85
Wannon	28041	35.54	50865	64.46	78906	99.31	546	0.69	79452	96.87
Wills	48089	58.74	33781	41.26	81870	98.76	1031	1.24	82901	94.11
State Total	1489536	49.84	1499138	50.16	2988674	99.07	28063	0.93	3016737	95.35

Queensland

State	Yes Votes	%	No Votes	%	Formal Votes	%	Informal Votes	%	Total Votes	%
Blair	18078	25.36	53221	74.64	71299	99.40	427	0.60	71726	95.86
Bowman	30481	38.97	47735	61.03	78216	99.29	557	0.71	78773	96.04
Brisbane	48178	57.28	35926	42.72	84104	99.27	615	0.73	84719	92.99
Capricornia	24132	31.86	51614	68.14	75746	99.43	433	0.57	76179	94.96
Dawson	25167	31.03	55945	68.97	81112	99.31	562	0.69	81674	95.61
Dickson	32397	41.22	46199	58.78	78596	99.26	582	0.74	79178	96.20
Fadden	27951	36.96	47674	63.04	75625	99.24	582	0.76	76207	94.21
Fairfax	27741	37.72	45801	62.28	73542	99.30	519	0.70	74061	94.81
Fisher	28577	38.50	45652	61.50	74229	99.28	536	0.72	74765	94.77
Forde	23117	31.33	50680	68.67	73797	99.25	558	0.75	74355	94.71
Griffith	39789	47.79	43472	52.21	83261	99.26	622	0.74	83883	94.56
Groom	21406	27.42	56661	72.58	78067	99.44	436	0.56	78503	96.03
Herbert	30938	38.53	49349	61.47	80287	99.37	512	0.63	80799	94.02
Hinkler	22989	30.64	52031	69.36	75020	99.37	478	0.63	75498	95.50
Kennedy	23326	29.79	54977	70.21	78303	99.22	618	0.78	78921	93.35
Leichhardt	30301	41.00	43602	59.00	73903	99.20	593	0.80	74496	92.28
Lilley	35308	43.56	45754	56.44	81062	99.31	565	0.69	81627	94.69
Longman	24750	33.46	49225	66.54	73975	99.26	553	0.74	74528	95.43
Maranoa	17944	22.84	60610	77.16	78554	99.43	448	0.57	79002	94.94
McPherson	32855	40.71	47849	59.29	80704	99.34	533	0.66	81237	94.30
Moncrieff	30274	39.00	47344	61.00	77618	99.26	578	0.74	78196	93.65
Moreton	38878	47.91	42262	52.09	81140	99.32	555	0.68	81695	94.96
Oxley	26218	34.57	49633	65.43	75851	99.19	616	0.81	76467	94.97
Petrie	31711	39.08	49439	60.92	81150	99.36	522	0.64	81672	95.04
Rankin	28107	37.77	46301	62.23	74408	99.04	721	0.96	75129	94.38
Ryan	44395	55.30	35883	44.70	80278	99.43	464	0.57	80742	94.83
Wide Bay	19052	25.67	55153	74.33	74205	99.39	457	0.61	74662	95.20
State Total	784060	37.44	1309992	62.56	2094052	99.31	14642	0.69	2108694	94.74

Western Australia

State	Yes Votes	%	No Votes	%	Formal Votes	%	Informal Votes	%	Total Votes	%
Brand	25801	33.69	50791	66.31	76592	99.18	637	0.82	77229	95.72
Canning	25283	32.73	51967	67.27	77250	99.14	668	0.86	77918	95.13
Cowan	32464	42.95	43117	57.05	75581	99.14	655	0.86	76236	96.02
Curtin	45217	55.49	36269	44.51	81486	99.21	653	0.79	82139	94.85
Forrest	28274	34.86	52826	65.14	81100	99.21	643	0.79	81743	95.81
Fremantle	39363	48.28	42173	51.72	81536	98.97	847	1.03	82383	95.37
Kalgoorlie	26898	37.87	44134	62.13	71032	99.22	558	0.78	71590	86.65
Moore	32781	42.58	44207	57.42	76988	99.29	550	0.71	77538	95.33
O'Connor	22410	28.08	57387	71.92	79797	99.24	608	0.76	80405	95.09
Pearce	29606	37.17	50053	62.83	79659	99.17	665	0.83	80324	95.59
Perth	38330	47.38	42569	52.62	80899	98.92	883	1.08	81782	95.02
Stirling	39448	48.42	42021	51.58	81469	98.99	835	1.01	82304	95.02
Swan	34434	43.16	45346	56.84	79780	99.09	734	0.91	80514	94.73
Tangney	37997	46.53	43660	53.47	81657	99.31	564	0.69	82221	95.83
State Total	458306	41.48	646520	58.52	1104826	99.15	9500	0.85	1114326	94.73

South Australia

State	Yes Votes	%	No Votes	%	Formal Votes	%	Informal Votes	%	Total Votes	%
Adelaide	45580	56.39	35252	43.61	80832	99.11	723	0.89	81555	94.53
Barker	26709	32.43	55655	67.57	82364	99.13	727	0.87	83091	96.57
Bonython	26405	33.28	52929	66.72	79334	98.82	946	1.18	80280	96.07
Boothby	44354	51.87	41152	48.13	85506	99.23	662	0.77	86168	96.46
Grey	26319	32.33	55090	67.67	81409	99.14	704	0.86	82113	94.49
Hindmarsh	39732	49.51	40515	50.49	80247	98.96	845	1.04	81092	96.23
Kingston	33014	41.43	46666	58.57	79680	99.20	646	0.80	80326	96.72
Makin	34923	41.70	48830	58.30	83753	99.20	676	0.80	84429	96.76
Mayo	39391	49.24	40599	50.76	79990	99.20	649	0.80	80639	96.48
Port Adelaide	38785	47.54	42798	52.46	81583	98.87	935	1.13	82518	95.59
Sturt	43544	53.73	37497	46.27	81041	99.14	703	0.86	81744	95.38
Wakefield	27113	33.18	54592	66.82	81705	99.11	734	0.89	82439	96.72
State Total	425869	43.57	551575	56.43	977444	99.09	8950	0.91	986394	96.00

Tasmania

State	Yes Votes	%	No Votes	%	Formal Votes	%	Informal Votes	%	Total Votes	%
Bass	23030	37.16	38949	62.84	61979	99.04	602	0.96	62581	96.02
Braddon	19061	32.24	40065	67.76	59126	99.02	585	0.98	59711	96.63
Denison	33130	52.38	30118	47.62	63248	99.14	551	0.86	63799	95.83
Franklin	29046	46.23	33779	53.77	62825	99.15	537	0.85	63362	96.45
Lyons	22004	33.54	43602	66.46	65606	99.12	582	0.88	66188	96.65
State Total	126271	40.37	186513	59.63	312784	99.09	2857	0.91	315641	96.31

Australian Capital Territory

State	Yes Votes	%	No Votes	%	Formal Votes	%	Informal Votes	%	Total Votes	%
Canberra	62575	62.08	38220	37.92	100795	99.26	748	0.74	101543	95.62
Fraser	64636	64.46	35630	35.54	100266	99.20	805	0.80	101071	95.00
State Total	127211	63.27	73850	36.73	201061	99.23	1553	0.77	202614	95.31

Northern Territory

State	Yes Votes	%	No Votes	%	Formal Votes	%	Informal Votes	%	Total Votes	%
NT	44391	48.77	46637	51.23	91028	99.07	852	0.93	91880	84.96
State Total	44391	48.77	46637	51.23	91028	99.07	852	0.93	91880	84.96

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